Commentary
Construction operations on the EWC "Building Package" began in January 2014. Prior to the Building Package, an "Earthwork Package" project was performed at the site. The EWC site was found to have had significant amounts of waste concrete buried across the site. A majority of the buried waste concrete is suspected to have originated from demolishing the World War II Prisoner-of-War Camp in Douglas. The waste concrete stood to adversely affect the building and paved areas for the EWC development. The Earthwork Package site preparation construction is now complete.

Current operations associated with the Building Package include interior building finishes, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system completions, exterior building finishes, and site plan improvements such as paving and irrigation system installations.

Higher than expected construction costs resulted in the need for additional project financing outlays including a combination of infusions from Converse County and EWC, as well as performing "value engineering". Value engineering is a collaborative process to identify cost optimization opportunities generally involving minimizing aesthetic features to achieve cost savings.

Commentary
General Contractor Sampson Construction Co., Inc, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was the successful bidder for the Glenrock Branch Library Expansion Project. Construction operations began on July 14, 2014.

Current building operations include building foundation construction, structural steel erection, and underground utilities installations.

The soils report identified the need for special foundation design accommodations for the Glenrock Branch Library. As a result, the existing library building will be remodeled as a stand-alone community meeting venue associated with the Glenrock Branch Library. The library proper is being constructed as a new building on the same property but separated from the existing building by approximately 30 feet. Arrangements for maintaining Library operations during the construction period are underway.

Commentary
A revised architectural design approach was approved in the summer of 2014. Current emphasis is on preparing the detailed architectural design plans for construction bidding set to take place in March 2015. Among the accommodations included in the revised design effort is a completely new exterior appearance, an expanded Genealogy area, as well as enhanced provisions for future floor space modifications within the library building. The current design approach includes enlarging the library building footprint to toward the north, as well as providing additional and enhanced parking areas.

(See "Additional Information" section under this Douglas Library heading for architectural renderings of the new Douglas Library building.)

A general contractor prequalification process is underway. The prequalification process is intended to identify a set of the most highly qualified general contractors who will be allowed to bid for the construction project.

Arrangements for maintaining Library operations during the upcoming construction period are being made by the Converse County Library Board.